Digital television cable service is commonly available to users desiring to receive television programming. Many cable service providers have converted to only providing digital transmission of video data, because using digital data has facilitated the storage, copying, and other processing functions as well as the more efficient use of bandwidth. For example, digital video recorders readily allow users to easily store and selectively view television programming at their convenience.
Similarly, Internet access service has become largely available to users, and in many instances, users regularly use computers to access Internet based video content. Because computers can now easily store and process digital video files, the Internet has quickly grown in its ability to provide users with video clips or related product information. Some websites can even provide the same television programming content that is available over the cable television network.
Thus, these two services, namely 1) digital television cable service and 2) Internet access to digital video files, share very similar technologies. For example, cable service providers use the same cable distribution network to provide cable service and Internet access to their subscribers. However, in other respects, these two services are distinct in their operation aspects. For example, in most cases, cable television viewers use a digital television for receiving Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) based video from a cable service provider and use a separate personal computer for receiving video from the Internet. The control and management of services have largely been distinct as well.
This division between viewing video (or other types of information) using a television and computer is beginning to blur. Manufacturers of MPEG decoder chips used in televisions are beginning to incorporate the ability to receive and process video data in a FLASH® format, thus enabling a television to receive Internet compatible video. Other manufacturers are integrating general purpose processing capabilities with the video processing ICs in televisions. These processors allow small applications to execute on the television (sometimes referred to as “widgets”), which can receive data from an Internet connection and render appropriate display information along with the television program on the display screen.